Whether you are just starting to blog or are an experienced blogger already, your goal is usually to generate traffic to your site!  Sure, you’ve got some but what if you wake up one morning and see that your blog has been vacated?  Wouldn’t that create some panic?
Fret not!  I want to share with you some effective traffic generation methods that will definitely pave the way to your blog’s popularity thereby increasing traffic on a long-term basis.

1. Social Bookmarking Sites – As social networking is the most sought after method nowadays, take advantage of it.  Sign up with Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, Digg, Reddit and as many social networking sites as possible.  Tweet Meme and Sexy Bookmarks are plug ins that I personally recommend.  Make sure that you have a couple of these social networking widgets at your site so that your readers can share them as well.  Watch out for upcoming social sites as well like BlogEngage.com, BloggerDen.com and MMOSocialNetwork.com.

2. Blog Updates – Ensure that you update your blogs regularly.  Readers always want fresh and informative content.  You will eventually earn loyal readers through the articles you post.  Besides, blogging regularly makes you popular with the Google Bots as well.

3. Blog Commenting – Much that blog commenting is time consuming, getting your comments out to at least 10 blogs with the same niche as yours would definitely help you increase your traffic.  However, be sure that your comments are not spamm.  Chances are, 9/10 would definitely try and visit your site to check out on you.

4. SEO Skills – Beef up your basic SEO skills.  Creating attractive permalinks and optimizing your text and titles are just some of the simple SEO techniques that you can use to increase your popularity with search engines.

5. Value Added Services – If your niche has got something to do with web development, offer web design, maintenance or logo design as well.  Nothing beats giving value added service to your readers.  It will give them more reason to visit your blog; not just because of the content you have but with the value added services that you offer as well.

6. Banner Ads – This traditional way of advertising is still popular and it still is effective.  Try purchasing some and placed on the right site, these banner ads can definitely drive traffic as well.

7. Guest Blogging – The fastest way to get your authority and credibility and at the same time cover a wide range of audience is through guest blogging.  This type of exposure is especially effective in driving traffic to your site if you do guest posting to popular blogs who already have built their authority.

8. Blog Directory Submissions – Some may say that submissions to blog directories are already a passé, but this strategy is still effective in building your followers and of course, eventually your traffic.  Ensure that you submit to blog directories that are updated daily or consistently.

9. Guest Blogging Posts – With the reciprocity that is usual in the blogosphere, accepting guest blogging posts on your site, especially from influential bloggers can definitely increase your traffic.  Not only do you get your guest blogger’s traffic, you get to be advertised in the blogger’s site as well.

10. Blog Subscriptions – Encouraging subscriptions through your blog is also a great technique in building up traffic and getting loyal subscribers.  Ensure that they can find easy buttons or boxes to subscribe to your blog through Feedburner perhaps, or through RSS.  Don’t forget to provide links or buttons that would make them follow you at Twitter or Facebook as well.

11. Controversy – Although controversial topics are quite risky, there is nothing wrong if your blog creates some sort of controversy.  This would mean other people would visit your blog to check on it or other bloggers would provide a link in their own blog pointing their readers to your blog as well.  Great traffic, right?  However, ensure that your web-hosting provider can handle the traffic.  Because controversy more often than not creates a viral effect on a medium-term.

12. Mobile Friendly Blog – There are many WordPress plug-ins that can assist you in making your blog mobile-friendly.  This can be of benefit to your tech savvy followers who opt to browse through the web via their gadgets.

13. WordPress Theme Development or Sponsorship – If you are web developer or is adept in making blog themes such as WordPress, traffic would definitely be at your feet if you offer it for free.  Many readers are interested to try out new themes.  Additionally, it could also be one way of attracting readers to try out your paid themes offerings.  In this way, you could also earn money through your affiliation links.

14. E-Books – Providing your readers with a free book that gives them viable and helpful information would surely generate traffic.  Ensure that your free e-book will provide them the information they need, which, if at all is not available anywhere.

15. Forum Postings – Posting comments through forums like Digital Point is a great way of driving traffic to your site.  Ensure that you post or comment with informative inputs.  Most Digital Point users uses Alexa and can help you increase your page rank as well.

I actually do not see any reason why your blog would not succeed once you follow the methods I just outlined above.  These techniques are proven and time tested.  Try it and reap the benefits these techniques can offer.

admin Blog Marketing, Web Traffic